Another few years passed.
Moonlight shimmered on the lake, the full moon reflected in the water.
A small sailboat drifted lazily down the river. Muzan sat aboard, eating something scarlet that really ought to have been censored, while Tamayo stood at the other side of the boat, looking sorrowful.
"It's been decades already. Surely you're not going to look after your great-grandson too?"
Muzan swallowed the last bite, wiped his mouth, and rinsed the blood from his hands in the water within reach.
Tamayo said nothing.
Her son had died yesterday. She knew that, with her still-youthful appearance, it was no longer appropriate for her to stay with her grandson, but she couldn't bear to leave.
Her son's death had also left her feeling low.
"It's not like you're saying goodbye forever. You can still visit your grandson. Just don't let him spot you, right?"
Tamayo sighed sorrowfully. "There's no need to visit him again."
Muzan raised an eyebrow and glanced at her.
A smile of acceptance appeared on Tamayo's face. "The human Tamayo is already dead. It's time I said goodbye to who I used to be."
"Well, that's good. Glad you've come to terms with it."
Muzan nodded in agreement, picked up the oar, and set it in front of Tamayo. "Now that you've come to terms with it, get rowing. Let's try to reach our destination before dawn."
Tamayo: "..."
You really are a scumbag!
Whatever. That's just how my boss is. Better row.
From the day her son died, her identity as a human had ceased to exist. Only one identity remained: a demon serving Muzan Kibutsuji.
Whether out of gratitude to Muzan for giving her the chance to live long enough to watch her son grow up and eventually die, or because of her own determination to live, she would carry on with that identity forever.
Besides, although her boss could be a real scumbag in some respects, he wasn't all that bad.
On the very night Muzan encountered his first Half-Demon-that strange creature that resembled a demon without quite being one-he notified all his demons to watch out for these Half-Demons and kill them on sight.
Unfortunately, the Half-Demons seemed to be deliberately avoiding them. Over the past few years, very few had been killed, while the foolish Demon Slayer Corps assumed they were all Muzan's demons. Every member seethed with righteous indignation, growing ever more determined to kill Muzan.
Muzan "The Fall Guy" Kibutsuji.
With a blade of foxtail grass between his lips, Muzan watched the night begin to fade and cast a disdainful glance at Tamayo, who was still rowing hard. "You're no good at this. It's almost dawn."
Tamayo put down the oar and looked up at Muzan, seemingly unconcerned about being burned to death by the sun. "My lord, we won't reach the other bank before daybreak."
Seeing how calm Tamayo was, Muzan lost interest. He stood up and grabbed her by the collar. They vanished together, leaving only the little wooden sailboat bobbing on the water and slowly drifting downstream.
Muzan was a little disappointed that Tamayo had guessed he had a way to get them into the dark before dawn. He had wanted to tease her and see her panic.
Still, that was Tamayo for you. She really was clever.
"Stay with me from now on. Read more books. Ideally, figure out how to overcome sunlight."
Standing on solid ground, Tamayo still hadn't escaped the aftereffects of "teleportation." Her head spun and her body swayed as she heard Muzan's words.
She could only manage a weak nod, barely keeping herself from collapsing. It took her a while to recover.
Muzan had brought Tamayo to Asanuma Seiji's territory. Seiji was someone Muzan had saved on a whim when bandits nearly killed him. He hadn't expected the man to be a Daimyo.
Since Muzan found his personality and outlook fairly agreeable, he had kept him around.
Muzan had already informed Jingji that he would be coming to stay for a while, so Jingji had prepared a house well in advance.
Muzan entered the house, lay back in the rocking chair Jingji had prepared, and picked up a book from beside it. "Ah, the life of luxury!"
Tamayo: "..."
Muzan glanced at her. "Go pick a bedroom."
Tamayo: "..."
The Demon King really has himself a cozy little life!
Muzan heard Tamayo's mental jab. "Who are you insulting? You're the one with a cozy little life!"
Tamayo: "???"
When Jingji learned that Muzan had arrived, he hurried over. He pushed the door open to find the Demon King lying in a rocking chair like an old man.
Honestly, when the Demon King had asked him to make that strange chair, he had been baffled. You couldn't even sit steadily in it. What was it supposed to be for?
Only now, seeing the Demon King, did he inexplicably feel as though he were looking at a retired old man...
So that's how you use a rocking chair...
Once I conquer the land, I'll get one too!
Seeing Muzan lower the book in his hands slightly, Jingji hastily dropped to his knees, bent forward, and bowed his head. "My lord!"
Muzan glanced at him. "Stand up. Stop kneeling at every little thing. Go do whatever you need to do. Also, remember to have your people keep an eye out for the Blue Spider Lily. It might only appear during the day."
Jingji hurriedly stood. "My lord, members of the Demon Slayer Corps have come here."
"So what? As long as they don't cause trouble, they can do whatever they like."
Jingji remained where he was, hesitating. Muzan sighed with a smile and put down his book. "If you want blood, just say so."
Jingji's face lit up, but in the next instant, a whip-like tube shot from the Demon King's waist and plunged straight into his chest.
Agonizing pain instantly overwhelmed Jingji, and he rolled on the floor, screaming.
The Demon King doesn't fight fair!
Muzan was just about to retract the Whip when he suddenly realized that, while he was in the rocking chair, it seemed to hold a book more steadily than his hands did!
It wasn't as though he needed to hide anything from anyone here.
So, after Jingji successfully endured the ordeal, this was what he saw: several whip-like tubes extended from Muzan's waist, their tips holding his book like a stand. Even as the chair rocked back and forth, the tubes kept the book perfectly steady.
"What are you staring at? Get out of here."
Muzan glanced at Jingji. Now that he'd successfully absorbed the blood, he should get back to whatever he needed to do!
Jingji hurried out.
Asanuma Seiji was a cautious demon. After noticing that members of the Demon Slayer Corps had arrived nearby, he had still wanted to become stronger, even though he knew they probably posed no threat to him-strong enough that he wouldn't have to fear them discovering he was a demon.
Fortunately, his lord was more accommodating than he had imagined. It was just that his method of bestowing blood was a little... rough.
Tamayo had been planning to come in and get a few books, only to witness the entire blood-bestowing process from the doorway.
Ha...
Tamayo had originally wondered whether she could ask Muzan to give her some blood. After seeing that scene and remembering how she had become a demon, she abandoned the idea completely.
Fine, I'll stay weak!
I'm only support anyway!
Hearing Tamayo's thoughts, Muzan gauged how much she could withstand. Decades had passed; she had long since become capable of handling more blood.
A mischievous smile spread across his face.
Before you continue